Safety lever switch lock



'1. o. Noms.' SAFETY LEVER SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION FILEDNMAY 23,1I92I.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.,

4.2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

@wom/tbm I. o. NORIIIS'.

SAFETY LEVERv SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION FILI-:II MAY 23. I92I.

1,428,800. Pandsept. I2, 19221,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

22C I v r y 5% 22 1 1 @g lock of such construction that the key can- Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

f STATES PATENT orificeo JOHN- OSCAR NORRIS, QF PITTSBURG, KANSAS.

SAFETY rinvien-,swinroii Loox.

` Application filed May 23,'

'To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN OSCAR- Norris,

' a citizen ofthe United States, and resident of Pittsburg, county `of Crawford, State of Kansas, have invented a' certain new and useful Improvement in` Safety kLever Switch Locks, ofwhi'chthe following is a complete specification. A

This invention relates Sto `switch stand locks and hasy for its objectto 'producea not be withdrawn from the-lock until the switch lever has'been thiown into such a positjion that :there is no chance of fthe switch point slightly` springin'gppen and forming `a space forthe` entryv ofthe flange of a wheeland thus lead to 'thejsplifitting'v of the switch and `the"'derailme'nt of the) train.

Another 'object is" to'l produce ailock y ofI such a charactergthat it will be' efficientlyi protected' from the elements and which,

' however, may be easily :withdrawn froinits ycasing for' oilin'g and inspection purposes.

` of Figure'.

Vith these objects 'in "view the invention consists in certain 'novel and useful 'features of construction and organization-ofparts as `hereinafter'des'cribedi'aiid 'clairriecl5I and in order that it may be "fully understood, 'reference is to'be had drawings,in whichi Figure l is a top plan view of'a-switch to the accompanying stand equipped with "the lockingfniech'aiiism" of the iiivention.

Figure 2 is asectiojnon `the line I I--II of Figure `1.

Figure 3 is a lsection taken on 'the line 'E Figure 8 is a section VIII-*VIII of Figiire'.

Figure 9 is a section eon the fline IX- IX of. Figure 7.

In the .said drawings, where like reference -characters identify 'corresponding on lthe line 'parts in all ofthe Figures,f1 is theI table support of a swit ch stand,"2 the switch op- "as customary.

-'tion as will be readily understood'.

i921; i ,seriairNo. 471,823.

- erating rod,.34 the connection securing the rod 2te-the lower end of the pivot 4 which passes through the table 1 and extends vertically above said table, all of said parts beingof ordinary form and construction.

. Pin-ned or otherwise secured to the pivot i4 isa collar`5, adapted to holdin position. and bear upon an operating frame of somewhat different form than the ordinary operating frame;- lout possessing the same E' mode of operation., yCarried by .the frame 6 is anfoperating switch lever 7, pivoted as at-8 as vis 'customary l/Vhen operating the switch, the leveijis' horizontal', with its upper end in engagement with a channel 6e. formed in v'member 6 as customary, and resting flatwise on the table. -After use, and in order to lock the switch against move- 'inent, switchlever 7 .is swung to a vertical yposition'for :engagement with one of a pair ef-notches 9 in the periphery vof the table,

to come'into abutment with the side edges vof frame 6 yand prevent'the frame from befingswung past. the point where the switch leverwill engage a notch 9. i

Frame: Gis of .somewhat greater width to one side of its pivotal point than to the other, and formed integrally with or4 se- "cured thereto is a lock casingll as shown in the drawing, or of any vsuitable or preferred iorin, which willv have one side wall vcoincidental with the adjacent edge of the "frai'ne 6 and the` other walll coincidental *with the channel-(r1 thereof.

'The' upper surface of casing 11r is parallel with the table and this casing'near its face is formed with a recess or pocket for "the reception of a -lock mechanism-l2 provided' exteriorly with a ring 13 by which it can be'lifted outofthe recess as will hereinafter appear. On the opposite side 'of "channel'L from casing 11, is a vertical wall 14 andv bridging `the channel 6a and formed'integrally with members l1 and 14 -is a bridge portion-15, itv being understood 'that 'the' front wall' of casing 11 will be exten-ded across `and connected to lwall 14 'and will be formed with a slot 15'?l to accominodate lever 7 andits pivot (see Figure 2).

'The parts just described will form a -housing' forl the upper end` of switch vlever 7 when said leverv occupies its vertical posi- "The fraine of lock'lQis formed of a top,

A lpair of ,stops 10 are formed on the upper surface ofthe table is a bottom portion 19 adapted to rest on the bottom of the recess and of substantially the same dimensions. To secure the loc frame in position, it is'engaged by a screw 20 fitted in a bore 21 formed in casing 11,

and adapted to hold the lock against Ywithdrawal from casing 11.

A bolt 22 is carried by the frame lock 12 and when in withdrawn position is adapted to have its frontend substantially flush with the inner wall of casin 11 in alinement with channel 6a (see igure 6), and

v when` in locked or projected position engages a bolt opening 23 formed ink thel upper end of the switch lever. It will be noted fby reference to Figures 2 and 5, that in order in close-the slot 11 at its upper end; Bolt 22 has sliding engagement with web toiprovide for the accommodation of the bolt '22, casing 11'is provided with a slot 11a in the upper part of its wall abutting channel 6a, and that the extension 16a of the lock casis formed on member 16 in order to 18 near its upper end and fits between said web and a flange 24 depending from top 16 and formed with a shoulder 25 upon which the bolt is adapted to'rest. Connecting'the lower. end of flange 24 to web 18 are closure members 26 forming a slot 27 between them and leaving the bottom face of the bolt eX- posed for the lgreater part of its length. Extending through the slot just described i and engaging a slot 30 .formed in bolt 22 is a lever 28, pivoted Vabout midway its length on a pivot'pin 29 secured to web 18 of the lock frame. n

The opposite end of lever 28 passes between a pair Aof guide arms 31 secured to web 18 and itted between said arms and securedto the web 18 is an expansion spring 32 adapted to pressagainst the end oflever 28 and force its operating Jface 33, formed at its end with a notch 34, into continuous engagement with a key operated cylinder 35, journaled on a pin 35a secured to web 1|8 and formed with a cam face 35b for acting on the operating face 33 of lever 28. The cylinder 35v also carries a cam 36 which when turned will l'operate a catch 37, pivoted at 38 to web 11:8

and against the back face ofy which an exy 'pansion spring 39, fitted in a recess .in memnotch 41 for a purpose which .will hereinafter appear.

` crank lever 42` In order to provide means whereb the the operating key K may be held withln the lock until the switch lever 7 has been moved to vertical position, a bell crank lever 42 is pivoted -on a rod 43 passing through =rame memlirs 19 and 18, and is thus held in a groove-44; formed on `the face of web 18 (see Figure 4).

The bell crank lever 42'iis formed at one end withizan operating arm 45 which fits within the housing formed by meme :bers 14, 15e-'fand 11 and against'which the i face of thegu-pper end of the switchlever is adapted tov abut when in vertical position.

(see Figure The opposite end of the :lever 42 is adapted to be yieldingly advanced when arm 45 is free for movement by an expansion spring 46 secured in groove` y 44 and the end' of said lever is formed with a pin 47 adapted to be projected into 4an opening 48 formed in the rear end of cylinder 35 undercertain conditions., Y

- The operation of the device is as follows:

, Referring'toligures 3 and?, it will benoted` that-the switch lever is in locked position the Aswitch lever and the bolt operating ywith the boltfiengaging the upper end of v mechanism in-position for the reception of a key, they face `of the switch-lever 7 .being in "abutting relation with arm 45 of the bell. crank lever42and holding the pin 47 ,thereof withdrawn yas shown` 1n 'Figure 7. The key Kis now yinserted Vinto the opening 35 lin the 'face of casing 11 and as it is turned ywill impartj movement to cylinder 35, and cam 36 thereof willforce catch-37 downward by its-engagement with the face40 thereof (see Figure 9). The continued operation of thekey will cause the cam 36 to operate lever28 by contact with its face 33 andY bythe time said cam comes in'engagement with and is held from further movement by notch 34, the lever 28k will have withdrawn bolt from engagement with the bolt vopening of switch lever 7 (Figures 5 and 6). 'Ehe switch lever will now be grasped and'fpnlled upwardly until it occupies its horizontal position when it will be free for horizontal turningmovement on the table in ordeiflto throw the switch points, and immediately the upper end of said lever ceases to press against the end 45Y of bell aid lever will automatically through the on of its spring- 46, project its pin 47 intotheopening 48 formed in the rear face of cylinder 35, andthe parts will 'occupy the position shown infFigure 5, thus locking the parts from; further movement. *and holdingtheke in such a position that it cannot be with rawn from opening 35,

y [as it willy come intozcontactwithfthe :inner ber '19A is adapted to press. The catch is formed ywith van operating face 40 and a'V `face ofthe wall-fof the recess incasing 11.

The'key, therefore, cannot be withdrawn. i

untilthe switch lever 7. has again been swung to a .vertical position with its facce in abutment with the arm of the bell crank lever, to withdraw the pin thereof from engagement with cylinder 35, as will be readily understood.

It will be readily apparent that it will only be necessary to withdraw bolt 22 from bolt openings 23 and then remove screw 20- in order to lift the entire lock l2 from its recess, for oiling or inspection purposes.

It will be apparent that I have produced a switch lock of such character that the operator cannot throw the switch and carelessly leave it in such a condition that there is danger of a car splitting the switch, unless the operator leaves his key in the lock, as the operations necessary to remove the key will set the switch and lock it in such a position that there is no chance of accidental opening movement of the switch point.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a device of the character described which possesses all of the features of advantage set forth as desirable, and while I have described and claimed the preferred embodiment of the same, I reserve the right to make all changes properly falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: t

l. A switch lock, comprising a table provided with a pair of notches, a frame pivotally mounted on said table and provided with a channel, a switch lever pivoted to said frame for movement in a vertical plane and adapted to engage one of the notches of the table when in a vertical position and the channel of the frame when in a horizontal position, a casing mounted on said frame, and formed with a recess, a lock mechanism depending from the top of the casing into said recess and having a watertight joint therewith and adapted to lock the switch lever in its vertical position, and means to prevent operation of said lock mechanism when it is in unlocked position and the switch lever is out of its vertical position.

2. A switch lock, comprising a table, a frame pivotally mounted on said table for swinging movement, a switch lever pivoted to said frame for movement in a vertical plane, a casing mounted on said frame and provided with a recess and forming a housing for the end of the switch lever when in a vertical position, a lock mechanism in the recess of said casing, and means for retaining the lock mechanism in position and inaccessible for removal when in locked position.

3. A switch lock, comprising a table, a frame pivotally mounted on said table for swinging movement, a switch lever pivoted to said frame for movement in a vertical plane, a casing mounted on said frame and provided with a recess, a lock frame secured in said recess, a bolt mounted for sliding movement in said lock frame, a key-operated member, a lever pivoted to said key frame, for yieldingly advancing said bolt when the key-operated member is rotated in one direction and adapted when the key-operated member is rotated in the opposite direction to be reversely moved to withdraw the bolt, yieldingly-actuated means to lock the key-operated member from movement when the switch lever is swung out of a vertical position, and means actuated by the switch lever when moved to vertical position, to unlock the key-operated member.

4. A switch lock comprising a table having edge notches, a frame pivotally mounted for horizontal swinging movement on the table, a switch lever mounted on the frame for movement in a vertical plane independent of the frame and into and out of the notches of the table, a bolt for locking the switch lever within any of said notches, a spring-actuated lever to advance the bolt, a spring-actuated lever to hold the firstnamed lever with the bolt advanced, rotary key-actuated means to trip said holding means and then operate the first-named spring-actuated lever to retract the bolt, and a yieldingly, actuated lever for preventing rotation of the key-actuated means when the switch lever is withdrawn from a notch and adapted to be tripped by the latter from engagement with said key-actuated means.

signature.

JOHN OSCAR NORRIS. 

